Unimas mulls setting up teaching hospital
KOTA SAMARAHAN: Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (Unimas) is looking at various options with a view to establish a teaching hospital here in its effort to produce graduates of high calibre from its Faculty of Medicine and Health Science.
The university's vice-chancellor Prof Datuk Dr Mohamad Kadim Suaidi said with the faculty's 19 years of experience, it was timely for the government to consider setting up a teaching hospital at the university.
"The justification to have a teaching hospital here is quite great because the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science has been with the university for the past 19 years. It is also the fourth medical school to be established in Malaysia, " he told a press conference following his inaugural keynote address as vice-chancellor having taken over from Prof Datuk Dr Morshidi Sirat in April.
According to him, a few sites had been identified including one within the Faculty of Medicine and Health Science and another near the Sarawak General Hospital Heart Centre in Kota Samarahan.
"At the moment, we cannot disclose further details as we are still discussing the matter, " said Kadim.
On another strategic plan of the university, Kadim said that Unimas would be setting up a Unimas Business Centre in Mukah to assist directly in the development of the Sarawak Corridor of Renewable Energy (SCORE).
"The state government has allocated a 100-acre land in Mukah a few years back and in line with our commitment to assist in the development of SCORE, I think the university should look into this very seriously.
"Through the business centre, we will have training facilities for people to take up short courses that will contribute to lifelong learning in addition to carrying out research, " he explained, adding that discussion amongst the management was now in progress.
Kadim also noted that Unimas would be looking into developing academic programes such as engineering technology and agriculture which could contribute to industries at SCORE.
Earlier, in his keynote address, Kadim, who hails from Kuching, and was formerly the deputy vice-chancellor of Universiti Teknologi Malaysia Melaka (UTeM), said the university would continue to strive and put in more effort to achieve the best results in all fields in its bids to strengthen itself as one of the top comprehensive universities in the country.
